Tag: steam.
Steam indie RPG turns underrated Final Fantasy game into trash
There are two kinds of Final Fantasy fans: those that have played Final Fantasy Tactics and constantly talk of its brilliance, and those that keep saying they’ll play it eventually. A new indie game on Steam, Trash of the Titans, offers something for both camps that channels the spirit of Tactics, but gives it a trashy spin.
Taylor Swift joins the robot revolution in free Steam shooter
Taylor Swift – you may have heard of her. She’s only the single biggest pop star of her generation, a cultural icon and musical force whose popularity is inescapable. The new addition to sci-fi schmup RoboSquad Revolution bares a striking resemblance to her, but has enough legal distinctions to not be identical.
What do you get when you mix Final Fantasy 7 and Resident Evil? My favourite Steam Next fest demo
Do you ever hear a pitch for a game that immediately perks your ears? A combination of words or ideas that makes you think “well I have to experience this as soon as possible”? That happened to me with Crow Country, the latest title from SFB Games, a developer you’ll probably best know as the team behind the puzzle game Snipperclips. Where Snipperclips is quite cute looking, Crow Country still is, somewhat, but is instead a survival horror game set in an abandoned crow-themed theme park that’s inspired by Final Fantasy 7 and Resident Evil. Yeah, now that’s what I call a good pitch. And the best part is, you can even try it out for yourself thanks to a Steam Next Fest demo. But first, let me sell you on it even more.
Crow Country puts you in the shoes of Special Agent Mara Forest, a mysterious character who’s design quite quickly fits into the history of all time female horror game protagonists. Booting up the demo brings you to the start of the game, and tells you incredibly little – literally just Mara’s name. Everything else is up to you to figure out, and boy do I love a mystery, especially one set in a fictional theme park that shut down due to the strange disappearance of its owner.
Right off the bat, aesthetically, you can see where the Final Fantasy 7 inspirations come in. While maybe ever-so-slightly more defined than the polygonal Cloud, Mara has a similar, toy-like design to her, which I personally think a lot of the OG FF7 character models have. Unlike Final Fantasy 7, and the PS1 era Resident Evils, all of the backgrounds are rendered in real time, as you are able to manoeuvre the camera, but it all retains that pre-rendered feel those classic games excelled at.
One of 2023’s best VR games is now on Steam, and it’s 20% off
As is typical with VR games, most eventually bleed onto all available platforms over time. After initially launching on the Meta Quest 3 and PSVR 2, Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice is now live on Steam, and you can save 20% as part of a launch window deal.
Our Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice review highlights how impressed we were with the latest release from Fast Travel Games, calling it “a true display of what modern VR gaming is”.
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Sony’s Helldivers 2 Gets Off to a Strong Start on Steam
Valve might cancel your Steam Deck purchase, if you look suspicious
It might be harder than you think to buy a Steam Deck OLED from Valve, particularly if you’re a new Steam account owner. In an attempt to prevent scalpers from getting hands on the Steam Deck OLED only to sell it at a higher price, Valve is outright canceling orders it thinks are suspicious, or asking for additional info before allowing the unit to ship.
It’s no secret that we rate the Steam Deck OLED as one of the best handheld gaming PCs, and you can only buy them brand new directly from Valve. While this could be viewed as limiting the market, it does allow for anti-scalper measures to be properly implemented like they are in this situation.
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Good news, the latest Starfield update to enter Steam beta stops DLSS from making your clouds vibrate
Another update for Starfield has arrived in Steam beta ahead of a full release, and while this one’s not as huge as some of its predecessors, there are a few fixes in there that you should know about, especially if you’re using Nvidia DLSS and don’t want the clouds hovering above planets to look like they’re vibrating.
While we’re still waiting for the game’s Creation Kit to arrive so that modders can really take their additions to the next level and start pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, Bethesda’s been busy dealing with a litany of issues that’ve been affecting the Settled Systems. The latest batch of these includes a couple of key graphical and technical tweaks.
As detailed in the patch notes for update 1.9.67, one of its PC-specific fixes is aimed at “an issue that could make the clouds appear to vibrate when using [Nvidia] DLSS performance mode”. It’s kind of sad to have it confirmed that this is a bug, rather than, I don’t know, an intended symptom of your character messing with The Unity too much and causing the universe to start to break.
Elden Ring and Darkest Dungeon unite in new Steam ARPG, playable now
Beginning with Demon’s Souls and then gradually refined through Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring, From Software has successfully cultivated a new genre of RPG, one that myriad other developers have been eager to emulate – the hallowed soulslike. Difficult, dark, and steeped in obtuse but rich world-building, the soulslike is finding further expression in the likes of Lords of the Fallen and Nioh. Now, perhaps the most en vogue genre of the last five years is being combined with party-personality-management twist of Darkest Dungeon, a slight hint of iconoclastic horror shooter Killer7, and a warped contemporary setting for a new ARPG, available to play right this second as part of Steam Next Fest.
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Steam Deck Deals – Save On Grips, Docks, And More (February 2024)
The Steam Deck is undoubtedly the most popular handheld PC on the market, so it has unsurprisingly spawned legions of third-party accessories since launching in 2022. From battery packs and microSD cards to docks and more, there are numerous ways to customize your device. Often times, you can get solid Steam Deck accessories for very reasonable prices; this includes third-party docks that are significantly cheaper than the official dock from Valve.
We’d consider a USB-C dock, microSD card, and portable battery pack to be practically essential purchases for Steam Deck owners. Right now, a bunch of these useful Steam Deck accessories are up for grabs for even lower prices than usual. We’ve put together a list of the best Steam Deck accessory deals we could find at Amazon.
Spigen Rugged Armor Protective Case
$25 ($30)
Spigen makes some of the most popular smartphone cases, so it should come as no surprise that it’s doing the same for Steam Deck. Composed of a TPU cover to help mitigate drop damage and with an external wrist strap for added security, it should give you peace of mind when traveling with your handheld PC.
Full Protective Case for Steam Deck + Kickstand
$16 ($24)
This deal is exclusive to Amazon Prime members. The case is shock-absorbent and flexible, making it easy to install yet durable enough to withstand scratches and drops. You’ll also find a built-in kickstand that adds versatility to your gaming setup.
Steam Deck Carrying Case
$21 ($30)
With enough space for your Steam Deck and all its accessories, this is a great way to keep your gear safe while on the road. It offers a shock and water-resistant design, and can be carried by a handle like a briefcase or slung over your shoulder with its detachable shoulder strap.
Sabrent 6-Port Docking Station for Steam Deck
$25 ($30)
Not interested in dropping $79 for the official Steam Deck Dock from Valve? Then take a look at this model from Sabrent, which features multiple USB-C ports, an HDMI port, and three USB-A ports. It also supports 4K output and is designed around a non-slip base that ensures your Steam Deck won’t shift around while gaming.
JSAUX Docking Stations
$30-$40 ($40-$50)
Two JSAUX Docking Stations are up for grabs for 10 bucks off each. The 5-in-1 Dock offers an ethernet port, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and a USB-C port. The 6-in-1 Dock offers all the above plus an additional USB-A port (bringing the total to three). Both are fully compatible with Steam Deck, giving you 4K output at 60Hz, along with a low-profile design that’s easy to squeeze onto even the most cluttered desk.
Sabrent Docking Station
$70 ($80)
This dock is similar to the above Sabrent 6-Port Docking Station, though it adds an NVMe SSD slot (hence the price increase). This allows you to expand your Steam Deck’s storage while connected to the dock. If you’re running low on storage for your handheld, it’s definitely a worthwhile investment. Keep in mind it doesn’t come with the SSD, so you need to purchase a 2280 model NVMe SSD separately. This Samsung 990 EVO 2TB SSD is on sale for $160 right now. The 1TB model is down to $100.
JSAUX M.2 Docking Station
$90 ($100)
This is another dock built with an NVMe SSD slot. Aside from that, you’ll get the usual ports and functionality–including 4K output at 60Hz, a USB-C port, HDMI port, and two USB-A ports. Like the dock above, you’ll need to purchase NVMe SSD separately. The Samsung 990 EVO is a good option here, too.
Baseus 65W Portable Charger (30,000mAh)
$56 ($100)
Running out of battery faster than expected? Pick up the Baseus Portable Charger to add more time to your play sessions while on the go. Along with support for Steam Deck, it’ll work well with other power-hungry electronics, including Nintendo Switch, laptops, productivity tablets, and more. Offering 65W of charging power and a 30,000mAh capacity, this power bank is capable of charging your Steam Deck while you play. Thanks to multiple USB ports, USB-C fast charging, microUSB, and more, you should be able to use this Baseus battery pack with just above every electronic you own.
Anker Power Banks
$54+
Anker makes some of the most popular power banks on the market, and two great ones are on sale right now. The 24,000mAh 65W portable charger is on sale for $54 (down from $80), while the 26,800mAh 60W model is a bit more expensive at $80 (down from $130) and comes with an AC adapter. Both are slim, lightweight devices, making them easy to slip into a backpack or suitcase.
Antank Magnetic Power Bank
$45 ($50)
Along with full support for Steam Deck, the Antank Magnetic Power Bank includes a removable magnetic mount. This lets you clip the battery pack directly onto your Steam Deck and makes it easier to play while it’s charging.
microSD Cards
$30 for 512GB | $60 to $73 for 1TB
Thanks to Steam Deck’s built-in microSD slot, you can expand your library beyond the device’s internal storage. A handful of cards are currently on sale, including the 1TB Lexar for $73 (down from $130), the 512GB Samsung for $30 (down from $35), and the 1TB TeamGroup for $60 (down from $73).